Training an Agricultural Leader’s Workers for the Future

An ISG organizational change management (OCM) team helps one of the world’s largest providers of crop inputs and services to train its employees for new software and processes, enabling efficiencies and more buying power.

Opportunity

A global leader in producing and distributing products for agriculture, industry and feed customers wanted to introduce new SAP S4/HANA software to improve its business. Less than seven months from its Phase 1 launch, the company realized it needed organizational change management (OCM) and training help to prepare employees for the coming changes in software and the related, streamlined processes. The challenges included a tight timeline; scattered locations with many offices in small, rural communities; and a lack of customized training materials for the project. However, if successful, the new enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite could enable more consistent work, better inventory visibility and improved buying power across the 14 countries in which the company operates.

Imagining IT Differently

ISG quickly jumped in, creating communications and developing and delivering the required training. The dedicated OCM team crammed what would normally be 18 months of work into an intense six-month engagement leading up to the Phase 1 launch. Team members utilized SAP’s Enable Now tool to develop training content for live, instructor-led training and eLearning to support different training styles and geographical diversity. They worked through complex logistics to deliver the training in 20 locations. New materials included 300 simulations, 40 process-and-role courses, and 80 role-based transactional training courses. A 200-member Super User employee network was also created to support peers during training and after launch. Webinars and contextual help INSIDE the new software system continue training delivery.

Future Made Possible

The company was able to achieve enablement of a new software system and streamlined end-to-end processes that will allow it to consolidate its supply chain, increase its buying power and work across previous operational silos to achieve better business results.

The ISG team also helped the company implement a new organizational structure and roles to support the newly-integrated technology and best-practice operations.

The new training materials were already used with 2,400 of the company’s employees and will be used in future project phases to train another 10,000-plus.

The company has its new Super User network, which will be expanded to help with other change initiatives in the future.

It also has new measurements to track progress and success from the changes.